Out & About - Edinburgh Festival

August 08 - here, there and everywhere

With Edinburgh Festival madness upon us again, Michael's older sister Vanessa was up working at the Festival, both talent spotting for writers and producing a TV comedy pilot. Unfortunately, her free days coincided with days when I had long-standing social arrangements (a friend's BBQ and a dinner party) so we ended up meeting up with her in between shows on a Friday - I took a day's leave - and on a Saturday daytime. I even had to turn down the offer of attending the Perrier Award Winners' party to go to my dinner party back in Stirling, although Michael turned it down cos he hates big parties!

Having a drink in Edinburgh - Michael & his sister Vanessa

We (ok, I) struggled to get up early on the last Saturday of the Festival to get to Edinburgh for 10.30am to watch the comedy that Vanessa was producing - 'The Emergency Family'. There were various actors who had volunteered to take on the parts and who had only rehearsed together a few times before performing the 2 pilot episodes of the comedy series. I was surprised that they used their scripts but it worked and was pretty funny in places (Vanessa didn't write it). There were a few faces I recognised including a very old-looking Michael Barrymore.

Edinburgh was heaving with people and we just wanted to get away from Princes Street to somewhere a bit saner and quieter.

Dinner party - ladies' night. Left to right: Nicki, Wendy, Jenny, Georgia, Gemma

I cycled to my ladies' dinner party in nearby Bridge of Allan prefering that option to the bus or a taxi. I knew I would be having a few drinks but felt that I'd either cycle home or as a last resort get a taxi. When it finally came time to leave in the early hours, it was peeing with rain and I was a bit the worse for wear. Anyway, Nicki and I decided to cycle home together, on the (empty) footpaths, with no bike lights and got very, very wet. At the half way point I started to feel very tired and questionned the wisdom of my decision. I got home soaking wet and muddy.

The party was good- we had a dinner provided by 3 different people- I did the starter (avocado, papaya & pine nuts in lime juice and ginger) which looked like a wreck but tasted good (presentation- nul point) - Jenny & Georgia our hosts provided fish pie for mains and then we had a rather tasty summer fruit pudding for dessert. Oh yes, and lots of wine. We then played stupid games including pass the parcel, a board game called Articulate (my team won but only cos there were no questions on sport or science) and a card game reminiscent of musical chairs - all of which resulted in a great deal of hilarity.

Sunday was spent 'relaxing' while the rest of the girls went on a hill walk- they must be mad!

Me on Ben Ledi - lovely light and purple heather on the hills

As I had taken Monday off, Mic & I went on a gentle hill walk up Ben Ledi and only got rained on a bit- the rest of the time we had sun. The streams and river were really flowing fast and our normal crossing point over the stream was deeper than usual meaning we spent ten minutes trying to figure out how to cross without falling in, testing rocks and depth etc. In the end I walked straight through it while Michael opted to return the way we'd come and met me further along the path (I think he just didn't want to spoil his new suede hillwalking boots although he claimed he didn't want wet feet!)